Pre-Christmas & Christmas

One fun kick-off to the Christmas season is attending my sister-in-law Amanda's orchestra concert. It was really good music as always and fun to be with family. We hit up Village Inn after and it is just fun to hang out.

Before leaving town I headed up to This is the place state park with my cousins Katie and Melissa. Melissa also had her family with her! It was a snowy night, perfect for enjoying an old fashioned Christmas.

Santa was there.

We did some crafts, dancing, and just enjoyed activities that the pioneers would have participated in.

We had a picnic in the back of the car before heading in, that was pretty awesome.

I am also including my last two lists of things I am grateful for. So this may be the longest post EVER!

10 Foods I am Grateful For:

1. Simply Made Orange Juice
2. Fiber One Granola Bars
3. Carrots, my veggie of choice
4. guacamole
5. chocolate chip cookies
6. quesadillas
7. Diet cherry pepsi, this so should not be on my list
8. water
9. apples
10. home made tacos...yum, my favorite

Dan, Nancy, and I traveled home together. The weather was amazing because apparently it forgot how to snow. It is always so fun to be home.

Christmas Eve we had a Brown Family Christmas Party at the church. It was PERFECT! There was enough room for us to all hang out in one place. All of my Dad's siblings attended and almost everyone made it. A rare treat. It was super nice that we did not have to travel another day after coming from Utah. My cousin Cody brought his sound system so music was playing, there was way too much food, good company, games, and the annual gift exchange.

My Dad his siblings and their spouses, well and his mom.

Our gift exchange is white elephant and it can be a book, game, movie, or cd. Very fun!

Dan and my cousin Cody and his wife Jen.

Me and Anthony (or some people refer to him as Muhammad or Brigham)

Ann, the exchange student from China staying with Ben and Katie. She is awesome by the way.

Olivia getting some down time with her mom.

Playing Mexican Train. (Janice and Olivia)

Some happy boys!?!?!?!?

I liked that Christmas was on Sunday. We don't have any traditions that really help you think about Christ on Christmas day so it was a great kick-off to Christmas Day.

We headed to church in the morning before doing gifts, the nice thing about no little kids the gifts could wait. Sisters!

Me and two crazy boys. Sorry Aaron and Anthony I used the picture I looked good in:-P

Me and my Mom

Some other Highlights:

• seeing so many friends in Oroville. It seemed like everyone was home and I LOVED seeing so many people I don't see very often.
• Getting to spend Christmas with Grandma Brown
• Playing games all day on Christmas, I mean all day (I also dominated, just saying)
  
• Sleeping in the trailer my parents bought it made the trip so much nicer
• My niece can now say my full name in October I was just Nell, now I am LaNell
• Seeing Olivia LOVE the trike I got her. It is pink just like my bike!
• My new quesadilla maker.

Cheese, spinach, mushroom, and avocado quesadilla...delicious.

10 Things About the Gospel I am Grateful For:

1. Eternal Families
2. Temples
3. Modern Day Prophets
4. Visiting Teaching
5. Relief Society
6. The Sacrament
7. The Book of Mormon and all scripture
8. Forgiveness
9. The Savior, his atonement, perfect example, love
10. HOPE...the gospel is a beautiful message of love and hope. There is so much to hope for and I love that about the gospel. It is also miraculous, but it offers so much hope.

Christmas came and went so fast. Now I have a few more days to sleep, coach basketball, get my house in order, before heading back to work.